1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to signs bearing a pair of opposed message panels and in particular to such signs which can be collapsed and roll up for compact linear storage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Safety warning signs play an important role in protecting school children at crossing sites as well as construction workers at road side and other construction locations. Temporary signs may mounted for free standing operation or may be hand held. One important type of sign includes a pair of opposed message panels typically bearing the legends “STOP” and “SLOW”. A worker or crossing guard standing alongside a mounted sign can rotate the sign as desired to display the appropriate message. Similarly, hand held signs can be rotated to display the appropriate message to oncoming motorists.
Because of their temporary nature, these types of signs are usually carried with other equipment in an automobile or other vehicle, and are extracted as needed. Functionally, the signs could be constructed with rigid message panels and this will provide oncoming motorists and others with the desired safety warning. However, many users prefer the sign to take on a linear or elongated storage configuration, rather than a flat panel configuration. Examples of roll up signs are found in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,256 as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,694,711; 5,729,926; 5,551,177; and 5,598,654. In general, the signs described in these patents are provided with a number of different styles of panel-supporting framework which is collapsible or otherwise configurable to assume a compact storage configuration. However, there is a continued desired for sign systems which are readily configurable between storage and display positions. It has also been found desirable to provide such sign systems with the ability to assume a linear or elongated storage configuration.